So you have decided to build, completed your design and plans, picked a builder and are ready to go. What do you do now? If you live close enough to the new construction site, you might want to watch the various stages of construction.
The first stage is to pick the location for your home site on your land or lot.

How does one determine what bid to go with? First off, you should always get at least 3 bids on any job. Once the bids come in, you should review them carefully and ask each bidder/contractor to explain their bids. However, before you get to the bid process, it is critical that you give all bidders/contractors detailed and accurate plans and specifications.

Want some weekend projects that could be quick and give your home a facelift? We all like a little change now and then. And there are a few things you might be able to do in a couple days that can give your home that slight change you have been wanting.

Thinking about selling your home, but you think you need to remodel it first? Stop…don’t spend money to remodel before you sell. Putting on my real estate hat, I have people ask me all the time if they need to remodel prior to listing their home.
If your home needs paint, then just think about putting a coat of paint on your home to sell it.

So many times we get asked the question “Do we need to find an Architect to design and draw our home?”, and my answer is NO. Most builders can design and draw your home for you. Why pay all the extra fees? Personally, I know if we design and draw your home, we give you that as a credit back if you have us build it.

Build favorable to the area. So what exactly does this mean? First off, it is just an opinion. What do you think when you are driving through a neighborhood and you see a house with a flat roof painted purple and all the other homes are hill country style in neutral colors and stone?

Summer time is here. Time to do some things around the house if you have not already. There are maintenance items and always that list of “I Want.”
For maintenance, you should have scheduled a check up for the A/C. Get it checked out, coolant added, system cleaned, etc. You might need to reverse those ceiling fans too.

There is a lot of planning in a new home. First, need to draw or find your plans for your home, and settle on a builder. Once we get that established there are other major steps to complete. Let’s break down some of those steps needed prior to starting the actual construction.
Drawings have been completed and you have a builder lined up.

If you don’t want a concrete slab foundation, you might be considering a Pier and Beam foundation.
What is a Pier and Beam Foundation? Pier and beam foundations incorporate a crawl space (usually at least 18 inches) beneath the home and footings filled with concrete or cinder blocks to support the slab.

So many times when we sit down with potential customers that want to build, I can’t emphasize enough to think not only about now, but the future. Whether you are a young couple just starting off to retirees, there are many things to think about.
Let’s start with a young couple just planning to build their first home.

Funny how time repeats it’s self. Construction falls into this as well. The more I look at older homes, the more I see things being brought back. So many homes are using designs, materials, ideas from the 1950-1980’s, some even older. Here are a few of the latest trends.
Reclaimed wood is very popular.

Does my house need gutters? Right now, you probably think this is a stupid question, since we have been in a drought. But, it actually is important. When we get rain, it can come down hard and can make a difference. Gutters prevent water from seeping into your foundation by channeling it away from the house.

So you want to add a Man Cave, no problem. There are many ways to do this. If you have a garage or extra room in your home will be a great start. If not, you can add a metal building, small shed, or remodel that large attic. So many options are available.
What is a Man Cave?

The ongoing question…Do you do the project yourself or hire a qualified contractor? When I put my real estate hat on, I can’t tell you how many times I see homes that had a non-experienced person perform the work. How can I tell? Let’s start with a basic remodel and then go to building a house.
How can I tell when a person did not know what they were doing or following code, etc?

Just recently during a real estate inspection, my client asked me why the house had a aerobic system versus a conventional, so thought this might be something to talk about. Some subdivisions require an aerobic system, whereas in rural areas conventionals are more common. Since I was a city person initially, I knew nothing about septic systems.